“What about money?”

MONEY

“I need to ask a few questions about things that are in focus today, said the snake, what about money?”
“What about money?” asked the Yogi, “it has always been in focus”.
“Well what of it?” asked the snake.
“Enjoy money”, said the Yogi, “only, don’t let it deprive you of whatever comes for free, don’t let it deprive you of friendship with the transpersonal doers”.
“Can a moneyed man be spiritual? “asked the snake.
“Why not?” answered the Yogi. “Man has only made the currency. But money is evaluated in terms of what it can buy. Whatever it can buy, wherefrom has all this come? Break everything down to the elements and you are back to Nature again. It can buy food, livestock, tents, a home, gems, metals, contraptions? All these belong to God in any case. Is money unspiritual? No you cannot blame the piece of paper. What goes wrong then?
A moneyed man, a man of means, gets so involved with those means, he forgets the end. He gets so externalized with his fascination of these means, he seldom finds the time ,or has the need to go within; to internalize, to introspect, to meditate; therefore the chances of his making contact with the source, become minimal. He remains joyous with these toys, to which he has easy access. We say he is distracted. Not attracted to the source of joy, within. We say he is deluded. Such a man, is rarely compassionate, indifferent to the welfare of fellow beings, and prone to oppressiveness and unrightful authority. Where there is unrightful authority, there is hell.
But, if such a man, who inspite of his money, doesn’t lose track of the end, doesn’t lose kindness, love and other things that money can’t buy, can he not be spiritual? If a moneyed man uses his money to help others, is he not both moneyed and kind? Will Heaven not welcome him then?” The Yogi smiled.

{The Yogi and the snake,1995}